St. Landry democrat., 1887-10-08
To the Democrats of sc. Landry

s..,t vru ut the congressional cnUv"n"
t;v 81 Ration Rouge on September 2Sth,
1887, consider II their duty tn make a
rprnrt uunn the action nt the latter
hody in excluding them from particlpa-
tjnn in it, deliherntlons.
The effort of Judge EStlIette to create
Democratic committee for you during
ihp Fall Of 1886 long after ne hAd been
.Ijspiaced bv convention ~ your par
+y, his assumption ut the office at p'rSl"
dent of ,uur executive committee after
he had himself expressly recognized
Dr. r. H, LittpIi, whom You had ap-
nniuted. IN the president, 10y asking "f
him and obtaining his signature III his
official political capacity, tn the rrc"m-
menda,jnn If friend of his, seeking to
1o br amounted posfmistress at Opei"n-
sas. ard the assumption 10y him and his
assOciates of authority to appoint DEL
egation tn represent you at that CON
yvessional convention, aud their failure
~ obtain recogultion-all this ID we'll
known to ynn.
Some persons thought that after a"
severe n rehuke they wnnld abandon
further fort in that direction, but re-
cent events demonstrate the contrary.
Fearful of repeating their former af-
tpmrt ut tl@urpatiou, and still more
doubtful of the results to them of con-
suIting the Democrats at primary sirc-
lions, in accordance with the uniform
custom and practice OF the party here, Il
secret meeting of their selt-created
committee was held on the Sth of Sep
tember last, all knowledge of which
WIS suppressed from the public until
September 17th, when for the first time
notice thereof was given only through
81, NJ, Shn f1nntnnHns fnncisr
Then for the first time the public was
Informed that a few Of the personal and
political friends of Judge E>tilette. TO-
gpther with himself assuming to be
your executive committee, had author
lied him to call either a convention by
primaries or q mass meetlng, as he
should think best, aud that he had is-
sued call for mass meeting to be
held 90 the borders Of the parish at the
Grand Cateau station on the Gath Sep
tember, the same day fixed by ynnr
committee for y0ur primaries. We
need not remind you that the Dem
ocratc party If your parish invariably
acts through primary elections, that
mass. meetings are unknown to yOu and
have not been resOrted to in the man
agement of the party here during the
Drespnt generation. As Judge Estilette,
according to the published proceedings,
was given authority 10 order primary
elections, or mass meeting, he Ia per-
sonally responsible for the mass meet
ing and its location at an obscure point
within a mile and II half of the border
of the parish, at which there had never
previously been political meeting 0r
public meeting of any character what
ever. H. is also responsible for the Sc
lection of the date. the 24th September,
the same day long previously advrrtis.
ed for your regular primary elections
throughout the parish-hnth date and
place prndently selected to get awav MS
far ~ possible from the mass of the De-
n,ncrafs. If Judge E<tilette and his as
sociatps really represented the Demo-
cratic organization of this parish, il
wOnid be Incumbent upon him tn ex-
niain tD van hIs unprecedented action.
No adequate reason has been or can he
aasigned by him or his friends for his
bold attempt ut innovation and depart
ure from the customs of your party.
We may here say that ii would I've i'm
possible to get at the will ct the Demo-
Gratis of this parish through mass
meeting held at cue point. The arpn nf
this parrish ia so great, and topographic
al difficulties, such as hayOns, ferries
and swamps. are 40 numerous that il
requires for elections. ttrenty- .fue polling
places. Hence, right reason M we'll M
uarty usage has always demanded pri-
mary elections at the several polls. "a
the only means ct expressing the will of
the party.
But subsequent events at the congres-
aionai convention demonstrates that
Judge Estiletts and his friends had not
rrckOned without their hnst. Some Of
their friends openly hOasted and offered
tn wager Odds-so we have been inform |
ed-that they would he seated with q |
whole vote. Here ii must not he for
gotten that judge Estilette not only call |
ed the mass meeting, but went to Baton |
Rouge and took charge of his case before I
the committee on credentials and in the |
although he was not among
the accredited delegates from his MACS
Meeting.
He argued his aide nf the Gaze before
the committee on credentials and made
go little impression that he could not
get even minority report in favor Of
seating his delegation although the COM
1nittee was composed in part of McEne-
~ men. The majority reported ia favor
of seating our delegation and the minor
ty without expressing an opinion either
way, reported in favor of referring the
question to the convention for decision,
after discussion. 1t is we'll
10 mention here that majority of the
reported in favor of seating
both delegations from Avoyelles each
On half vote, while minority RECON-
mended seating the Thorp or McEnery
delegation with the whole vote.
When the report of the committee on
credentials came up for action before
he convention member moved to
adopt the majority reports in both our
Ease and Avoyelles. the effect of which
y0nld have been to seat us with fhe
Whole vote. Immediately thereafter
another member moved to adopt the
reports. the effect of which
ynu!d have been to seat the McEn4ry
delegation from Avoyelies and to refer
'ur case to the convention for decision.
after discussion as the mem.
'erS Of the convention cnuld not he pre.
mined to know anything about the mer.
tn 0f the case.
At this point Mr.. Strickland from St.
Helena moved as substitute for both
li0tinns that the contestants in h,th | ,
asses he allowed to present their casas
o the .cnnvenfinn, when Mr.. Claibnrna ,
moved To- lay the substitute on the fable. I
Ibis motion is not debateabie and the :
fret of its adoption was to cut off tile
Ep1.s A..